Pristis zijsron Bleeker, 1851
Longcomb sawfish
Pristis zijsron
photo by Pillon, R.

Family:  Pristidae (Sawfishes)
Max. size:  730 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 5 - 70 m
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Persian Gulf (Ref. 68964), Red Sea and east to South Africa, western India Sri Lanka, Laos to Papua New Guinea, south to New South Wales, western to eastern Australia (Ref. 114953).
Diagnosis:  Dark grey to blackish brown above, white to yellowish below (Ref. 11228).
Biology:  Demersal on both insular and continental shelves, but now thought to be extinct through much if its original range (Ref. 114953). Inshore and intertidal species known to enter freshwater in some areas (Ref. 9859). Found in shallow bays, estuaries, and lagoons (Ref. 11228). Often on the bottom with its saw elevated at an angle to the body axis (Ref. 9859). Feeds on fishes and shellfishes (Ref. 58784). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Reaches maturity after 9 years. Females have litters of approximately 12 pups. Maturity size unclear, possibly near 430 cm TL; born at approximately 80 cm TL (Ref. 114953). Flesh considered tasty (Ref. 11228).
IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 11 March 2022 (A2cd) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  traumatogenic


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